Metal car roof



A. J. CANFELD ET AL April 14, 1925.

METAL CAR ROOF #a f a m t W mn m y@ n www ifa,

Filed Dec. 1. 1921 April 14, 1925. v 1,533,384

, A. J. CANFIELD ET AL METAL CAR ROOF Filed Dec. l, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il Il fllllvll Patented Apr. 14, 1925'.

yunirsosrarss PATENT OFFICE.

nn'rntm zr. GAINFIEVLD, or oHIoAeo, rLLiivors, .ann nnnns'r n. vienne, or Monrnnar.,

rtion. w

L `pliance with requirements as to joints, thick QUEBEC, CANADA.

METAL CAR ROOF.

; Application led December To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that we, ARTHUR J GANEIELD, a citizenof the United States of America, 'and resident of the city of Chicago, in the State -of Illinois, and United States of America, and ERNEST R. Vienne, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, and Dominion -of Canada, have Vinventedv certain new and useful Improvements vin Metal Car Roofs, of which the following isa full, clear and exact descrip- Tliis invention relates to improvements inmetal roofs, especially for freight cars, 'and' the object 'of the invention is to pro vide'a roof of simple, inexpensive and durableconstruction.

Afurther object is to provide a roof AWhich may be manufactured at a lovv cost and applied with great ease, and without the use of bolts. y

A still further object is to provide a metal roof construction of comparatively light Weight, which eliminates the use of ridgepoles, carlines, subcarlines, purlines, and subpurlins without in any Way weakening thecar. l

Another object is to provide a metal roof which will yield to the movement of the car Without opening any of the roof joints or otherwise 'causing leaking ofthe roof, and

yet substantially brace the car.

Yet another object is to provide .a roof Vof simple construction which `will be absolutely Weatherproof and which Will not'form pockets for the lodgment of cinders and thelilre.

At the present'time there is considerable demand 'for metal car roofs .on account of their iireproof and Weather-proof qualities. These 4metal roofs must, however, comply With certa-in requirements :and this comne'ss efplates, etc. considerably complicates the manufacture thereof and renders it quite an expensive matter to provide the necessary dies. Furthermore, yexisting roofs are applied over a framing substantially the same as used for'wooden roofs. y e i rAccordingto the `present invention, a roof islprovidedof such construction that Jtheexpense of manufactureeandapplication is reduced to aminimum Vand furthermore, the necessityl 4for roof framingl is eliminated.

- The invention consists essentially in pro- 1, 1921. Serial N0. 519,202.

riding a series of trough or channel-shaped members extending transversely of a car. at suitable intervals and serving bothas carlines and as ro of lates. The spacesbetween the channels are illed by plates having slid`-` ing and interlocking engagement with the channels.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the present inventionr- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the roof in position on a car.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line '2f-2, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section near the centre of the car.

Fig. a is an enlarged fragment of one end of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragment of Figure 3. y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the junction of the roof members on the cave.

Referring more articularly to the drawings 11 designates tie side and 12 the end of a car which as illustrated, is a freight car. The roof comprises channel-shaped supporting member 13 and roof plates 11i alternated with the channel members and both extend# ing transversely of the car.

The channel members i3 each comprise a bottom portion 15 slightly arched upwardly between the sides of the car and provided at each end with a downturned lip 1G to engage over an angle 1T attached to, or forming a par-t of the car side, these angles form ing supports tor the ends of the 'channel members. Each channel member is formed with a pair of upstanding side flanges 18 which are deepest midway between the ends of the member and taper to substantially no heightat all at the ends of the member. The upper edges of these channel flanges are preferably grooved smoothly and continuously from end to end, as shown in Figure 2. Each flange is loutwardly turned at its upper edge as at 19 and then bent back on itself or inwardly turned `at 20 to torni Y two substantially parallel spaced portions.

At the ends of the channel members Where the flanges 18 have diminished tono height at all, the portions 19 are continuous or' sul),u stantial-ly continuous with the 'bottom portions l5, as clearly shown inltigure GJ lt Will also be noted that the 'portions 19 and 20 stop short of the downturned lips Y16, so

as to leave the space 21 between them open at the ends of the channel. rlhe channel members V13 are placed transversely of aY car at suitable intervals, the lips 16 holding them against movement transversely of the car.

I They may be riveted or bolted to the members 17 as desired. Y

The roof plates 14 are turned over at their longitudinal edges to provide hook portions 22 spaced from the bodies of the plates and adapted to `enter the spaces 2l in the channels, as shown best in Figures 5 and 6. These plates are of comparatively thin metal and are preferably prepared in the flat, that is, Vwithout, any curvature such as is evident in Figures 1 and 2. One end edge of each plate is turned downwardly as indicated at.23, thehook `portions 22 being.V

necessarily pinched against the bodyzof the plate where itis bent. The opposite end of each platev 1.4 isnot. thus bent down. VTo apply the plates 14 therhook portions-22 at the end ofthe pla-te are inserted in the openings 21of adjacent channel members and the plates 1 4 slid transversely of the car until the downturned kend portions 23 engage the lips 16 of the channel members. .l/Vith a properly dimensioned plate it will be found that at the opposite side of the car the end of the'plate projects beyond the ends of the channel members. rlhis projecting edge is bent. downwardly, thus holding thev plate 14 against removal. `When all plates 14 are in position it will. be found that a continuous roof isyprovided vjointly by the members 13 i and14.^ At the ends of the car the roof plates, designated 14a, may be ,specially formed. with a comparatively deep downturned flange 24 at one long edge, this flange being adapted to overlie the car end. rlhe dow'nturned end portions 23 of the roof plates 14 may, if desired, be bent inwardly under the members 17, as shown at 25, Figure4. rlhis inwardbending will serve to hold the roof down on the bodyV of the ear independently of rivets securing the channel members. i Y Y The running board, designated 26, maj7 be supported 'at suitable intervals by means of brackets 27 riveted to the upstandiug flanges VV18 of the channels 13. As the smooth sheet metalproof willmake very dangerous footling between the side and end ladders and the running board, any suitably formed tread surface 28 may be supported by brackets 29 and 30'attached respectively to the carand to the ruiming board, or otherwise as lmay beV desired. Y

A roof of the character just described is, it will be noted, composed of a comparatively smallnumber' of easily made and inexpensive parts which may be very easily and quickly applied to a car. rlihe channel members 13, which form a part of the roof itself,

serve to support the remainder ofthe roof and therefore replace the carlines and purlinsordinarily used. The downturned ends of these channels, togetherV with rivets, serve to hold, the car sides from bulging and therefore to supportthe car body. The camber Y in the bottom portion 15 of these member is very slight and suficient stiffness is imparted by the upstanding flanges to prevent the members straightening out underV the comparativel slio'ht tension stressesl tol which they will be subject. The roof plates 14 which interloclred with the channel members, serve the double purpose independently of the rivets, of holding these members in proper position relatively to thel ends of the car and also holding the entire roof down on the car body. The interlocking members 13 and 14 provide a roof which'cannot materially elongateV or materially shorten, but which has sulificient'iiexibility by reason of its Vslip joint seams. to .permit the-roof to` yield to movement in the car body without affecting in any way the weather-proof qualities or security of the seams. Obviously, when the ends of the members 13 are riveted to the members17 avery stiff-and'rigid roof will be provided, andas the members 13V are of'considerable widt-h they will become very` elfectiveidiagonal braces.`

. Thel joints-or seams between the members 13 and 14 are absolutely weather-proof. lt j plates 14 are straight before application, it

will'vbe apparent that the bending of the platesV 14 which occurs when they follow the grooves 21 will cause the plates or their` hook flanges 22 to ybind very tightly against the channel members 13. tightsurfaceoint throughout the length of every seamand also holds they against rattling. 1 A Y The channel members 13 have sufficient camber toV a-lfordlperfect drainage in the transverse valleys which they form in the finished roof, and the camber of the plates 14 wheninplace will bev vmore than suf'- ficient to ensure drainage. Thel channel members 13 will be preferablypressed `or rolled plates and the junction of their central webs 15 and flanges 18 willvtherefore Vbe smoothly curved, as clearly shown in Figure 5 and .without c-revices forV thelodgment of moisture or-c-inders. The distanceibetween This ensures a( plates 14 ter.

flanges is such that wind will readily clear out any cinders which may lodgel in the valleys.

The advantages of this invention are numerous. The training forms a part of the roof, or the root' is supported without frame work, according as one considers the mat-- No bolts are used in the construction and only a few rivets are necessary to connect the channel members. The rootl sheets can-be readily replaced without disturbing the channels and without the use off any tools beyond a bar and hammer. The number or pieces and the weight are quite small, and the roof is absolutely weather-tight. The channel members form a very strong top construction forV a car and eiiectively brace the same against swaying. VSuch swaying motion as there may be has no detrimental effect on the roof construction or the tightness of the seams.l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.11n a car roof, a transverse member comprising a central web, upstanding flanges at the edges of said web, said lianges decreasing in height from the centre towards the end of the web, and terminating a short distance from each end of the web, and lateral flanges onthe upstanding flanges folded upon themselves to present grooves.

2. A. device according to claim l in which the upstanding iianges diminish to no height at all adjacent the ends oi' the web, whereby 3 said lateral flanges merge into the web adjacent the ends thereof.

3. In a car root, a` series of transverse members of sutcient length to extend from side tol side of the car body, each of said members being pro-vided with curved channels extending longitudinally thereoi', a pair of outwardly extending eaves members extending along the upper side edges of the car body and supporting said transverse members, the ends of the transverse members being turned downwardly around the eaves members -to provide depending ribs holding the transverse members against longitudinal displacement, and aI series of normally iat roof plates inserted lbetween said transverse members with the edges ci' the plates engaged in said channels and the ends of the plates turned downwardly and inwardly around the eaves members to hold both the transverse members and the roof plates thereto.

4,'In a car roof construction, the oombination of a series ot transverse members of sufficient length to extend from side tov side ot the car body, eaves members extending along the upper side edges of the car body and supporting the transverse members, each of said transverse members comprising a web resting on the eaves members and having its extremities turned downwardly around the eaves members to prevent longitudinal movement of the web, a pair of flanges rising from the web and having the upper edge portions thereof reversely folded to provide a pair of longitudinally extending channels, a series of root plates positioned between said transverse members and supported on said flanges with the side edges of the roof plates turned inwardly and disposed in the channels of the supporting transverse members, the ends of said roof plates being turned downwardly and inwardly around said eaves members to provide an anchorage for the plates and the transverse members.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

ARTHUR J. CANFIELD. ERNEST R. VIBERG. 

